Zoysiagrass plant named `Crowne`

ABSTRACT

An asexually reproduced variety of perennial Zoysia japonica with a unique combination of characters including white stigmas, anthers which are 5.0 RP 3/4, and a distinct DNA fingerprint.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct asexually reproduced variety of perennial zoysiagrass (Zoysia japonica).

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to a new and distinct perennial zoysiagrass cultivar identified as `Crowne` zoysiagrass (herein referred to as `Crowne`), that was tested as DALZ8512. `Crowne`, a Zoysia japonica, is a chance hybrid of the maternal close `Z20` (unpatented), obtained from Beltsville, MD in 1981, with an unknown pollen source from a zoysiagrass germplasm field nursery at TAES--Dallas. `Crowne` has been vegetatively propagated by stolons and rhizomes in Dallas, Tex., and is uniform in growth expression through successive generations.

For purposes of registration under the "International Convention for the Protection of New Varieties of Plants" (generally known by its French acronym as the UPOV Convention) and noting Section 1612 of the Manual of Plant Examination Procedures, the new variety of zoysiagrass of the present invention is named `Crowne`.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a photograph of the leaf blade and ligule of `Crowne`.

FIG. 2 is a DNA fingerprint of `Crowne` in contrast to `Meyer` (unpatented) zoysiagrass.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PLANT

`Crowne` was characterized in greenhouse and field conditions. `Crowne` is a unique variety of zoysiagrass developed as described above. `Crowne` was identified as being unique and desirable and was then propagated by cutting of stolons and rhizomes, rooting them in soil, and planting of the rooted material to provide planting stock for studying performance and for comparison of morphological characters after propagation. `Crowne` has been propagated by sod, plugs, sprigs, stolons and rhizomes in greenhouse and field studies by hand and mechanical propagation in Dallas, Tex. All distinguishing and defining characteristics are reliably reproduced in stable and firmly fixed form by such means through succeeding generations. Seed reproduction with self-fertility is not common in the Zoysia sp. No seedling establishment from `Crowne` has been noticed in either greenhouse or field studies.

`Crowne` spreads by stolons and rhizomes. It has an intermediate to rapid establishment rate and has low water use requirements. When sprig (stolons) or plug plantings are made in early May, the area should achieve 50-60% average in Dallas, Tex. in 90-120 days, with complete coverage in 190-210 days, in comparison to `Meyer` zoysiagrass which will require 360-400 days for full coverage. The stolons of `Crowne` have a mean internode length of 17.7 mm between the second and third nodes, with a mean internode width of 0.9 mm and node diameter of 1.1; internode length between the fourth to fifth internode was 12.0 mm with a stolon width of 1.8 mm (Tables 1,2). This creates a proportionally short-thick internode unique to `Crowne`. The stolons of `Crowne` root adventitiously at the nodes. Color notations of plant tissues were based on the Munsell Color Charts for Plant Tissues, Munsell Color, Baltimore, Md., 1977. Light quality, photoperiod, and general growth of the plants affect color notations. The internode stolon color of `Crowne` stolons exposed to full sun is 10R 3/2.

Leaf blades of `Crowne` are rolled in the bud and are flat and stiff. The leaf blade length of `Crowne` is from 72.7 to 126.6 mm and 2.96 to 3.23 mm in width (Tables 3,4). The leaf sheath of `Crowne` is distinct from `Meyer` (Table 5). The hairs on the abaxial leaf surface of `Crowne` are sparse in number and are approximately 0.9 mm long. Measured under greenhouse conditions in January 1996, the genetic, adaxial leaf color of `Crowne` is 2.5G 4/4 with `El Toro` (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 5,845) having a leaf color of 2.5GY 5/2, and `Meyer` having a color of 2.5G 3/4. The ligule of `Crowne` is a fringe of silky hairs, approximately 2.5 mm in length for the longest hairs.

Thatch development is a function of age of stand, types of soils and other environmental and cultural conditions. Thatch development was determined in 3 year old field plantings comparing eight commercially available cultivars. `Emerald`, `Miyako` (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 10,187) and `Zeon` (unpatented) produced the greatest depth of thatch (26.3 mm); `Crowne`, `Palisades` and `De Anza` produced an intermediate amount of thatch (25, 23 and 23 mm, respectively), and `Cavalier` (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 10,778) and `Meyer` produced the least amount of thatch (20 and 19 mm, respectively).

`Crowne` has 5.0 RP 3/4 colored anthers and white colored stigmas, undistinguished in shade of color. The inflorescence of `Crowne` is a terminal spike-like raceme, with spikelets on short pedicels. `Crowne` has a mean length floral region of 23.1 mm with a mean of 25.3 florets per raceme.

The chromosome number of `Crowne` is 40.

When `Crowne` was compared with 59 other zoysiagrasses for salinity tolerance, it ranked number 33 in performance and was superior to `Meyer` (Table 6). When compared to other commercial varieties for root growth, `Crowne` was not different from `El Toro` or `Meyer` in average root depth, root weight, or clipping weights (Table 7).

`Crowne` was entered in the National Turfgrass Evaluation Program (NTEP). `Crowne` in the National Turfgrass Evaluation Program Zoysiagrass Trial for the years 1992, 1993, and 1994 had mean quality ratings of 5.8, 5.8, and 5.5 for overall quality (Table 8).

`Crowne` shows intermediate resistance to the zoysiagrass mite (Table 9). The varieties `Meyer`, `Belair` (unpatented), and most experimental zoysiagrasses are very susceptible to the mite. This mite has been found in Maryland, Texas, Florida, and all extensive zones of use for zoysiagrasses.

`Crowne` is distinguished from other zoysiagrass by its coarse texture, thick stolons, and intermediate to good stolon and rhizome production. It has moderate to good shade tolerance and low water use needs and is highly competitive under natural environmental conditions typical of north central Texas. `Crowne` is intermediate to superior in its average growth rate and has good to excellent winter hardiness and will persist in regions north to Kansas, Missouri and Illinois.

                  TABLE 1                                                          ______________________________________                                         Internode length as measured between the second and third nodes,               internode diameter of the third internode, and node diameter of the            third                                                                          node measured on zoysiagrass plants. Plants were growing in a growth           chamber with a 14-hr daylength, March 1995.                                                  Internode  Internode Node                                                      length     diameter  diameter                                    Genotype      mm         mm        mm                                          ______________________________________                                         `Crowne`      17.7 a*    0.9 abc   1.1 bc                                      `Cavalier`    18.4 a     1.4 abc   1.4 abc                                     `Meyer`       24.1 a     2.0 a     2.0 a                                       `Palisades` (United                                                                          29.9 a     1.0 a     1.7 ab                                      States Plant Patent                                                            Application Serial                                                             Number 09/078,184)                                                             `El Toro`     39.8 a     1.4 abc   1.4 abc-                                    ______________________________________                                          *Analysis of variance by General Linear Models, with means followed by th      same letter not significantly different using Tukey's Studentized Range        (HSD), alpha = 0.05. Only selected means presented.                      

                  TABLE 2                                                          ______________________________________                                         Zoysiagrass internode lengths and stolon width measurements from the           fourth to the fifth nodes taken February 1988 on greenhouse grown              plants.                                                                                          Internode   Stolon                                                             length      width                                            Genotype          mm          mm                                               ______________________________________                                         `Emerald` (unpatented)                                                                            6.2 e*     1.0 ghi                                          `Crowne`          12.0 b-e    1.8 a                                            `Palisades`       12.3 b-e    1.6 b                                            `Meyer`           16.5 bc     1.5 b                                            `Cavalier`        16.7 bc     1.1 efg                                          ______________________________________                                          *Means followed by the same letter are not significantly different using       the WallerDuncan k ratio test (k ratio = 100). Only selected means             presented.                                                               

                  TABLE 3                                                          ______________________________________                                         Leaf blade width and length measured on the third youngest leaf of             zoysiagrass. Plants were growing in a growth chamber with a 14-hr              daylength, March 1995.                                                                       Blade width   Blade length                                       Genotype      mm            mm                                                 ______________________________________                                         `Cavalier`    1.3 d*        60.7 cd                                            `Meyer`       2.6 c         74.3 bc                                            `Crowne`      3.0 abc       72.7 bc                                            `El Toro`     3.3 abc       68.3 bcd                                           `Palisades`   3.4 ab        75.6 bc                                            ______________________________________                                          *Analysis of variance by General Linear Models, with means followed by th      same letter not significantly different using Tukey's Studentized Range        (HSD), alpha = 0.05. Only selected means presented.                      

                  TABLE 4                                                          ______________________________________                                         Zoysiagrass leaf measurements taken February 1988 on the                       fourth youngest leaf from greenhouse grown plants.                                           Blade width   Blade length                                       Genotype      mm            mm                                                 ______________________________________                                         `Cavalier`    1.8 ij*       58.9 e                                             `Emerald`     2.0 fgh       30.6 f                                             `Crowne`      3.2 b         126.6 b                                            `Palisades`   3.4 b         101.1 c                                            `Meyer`       3.3 b         82.3 d                                             ______________________________________                                          *Means followed by the same letter are not significantly different using       the WallerDuncan k ratio test (k ratio = 100). Only selected means             presented.                                                               

                  TABLE 5                                                          ______________________________________                                         Zoysiagrass leaf sheath length measurements taken February 1988 on the         fourth youngest leaf from greenhouse grown plants.                                                 Sheath length                                              Genotype            mm                                                         ______________________________________                                         `Emerald`           16.3 ij                                                    `Cavalier`          28.9 ef                                                    `Meyer`             30.7 cd                                                    `Crowne`            42.9 b*                                                    `Palisades`         51.25 a                                                    ______________________________________                                          *Means followed by the same letter are not significantly different using       the WallerDuncan k ratio test (k ratio = 100). Only selected means             presented.                                                               

                  TABLE 6*                                                         ______________________________________                                         Average percent shoot salt injury (average of 20 rating dates) on              zoysiagrass entries in the 1991 NTEP† Trials.                           Entry         Source    Species‡                                                                       % Injury                                    ______________________________________                                         `Diamond`     NTEP 20   matrella   33 ab.English Pound.                        (U.S. Plant Patent                                                             No. 10,636)                                                                    `El Toro`     NTEP 13   japonica   38 a-e                                      `Emerald`     NTEP 10   jap x tenu 42 a-h                                      `Cavalier`    NTEP 17   matrella   42 a-h                                      `Crowne`      NTEP      japonica   46 e-k                                      `Palisades`   NTEP      japonica   46 e-k                                      `Belair`      NTEP 11   japonica   50 f-k                                      `Meyer`       NTEP 09   japonica   58 lmn                                      `Korean Common`                                                                              NTEP 07   japonica   76 pq                                       (unpatented)                                                                   ______________________________________                                          *Selected data set; complete data set includes 59 varieties and cultivars      †NTEP = National Turfgrass Evaluation Program.                          ‡Species identity.                                                  .English Pound.Means followed by the same letter are not significantly         different, based on the WallerDuncan kratio ttest (kratio = 100)         

In Marcum, K. B., M. C. Engelke, S. J. Morton and C. Dayton. 1994. Salinity tolerances of selected bermudagrass and zoysiagrass genotypes. TX Turfgrass Res.--1993, Consolidated Prog. Rep. PR 5140: 105-107.

                  TABLE 7                                                          ______________________________________                                         Average mean root depth of zoysiagrass grown in flexible tubes in              greenhouse studies, Dallas, TX.                                                         Average Mean  Total Root                                                                              Clippinge                                               Root Depth    Weight   Weights                                        Variety  mm            mm       mm                                             ______________________________________                                         `Cavalier`                                                                              255           278      243                                            `Belair` 296           330      286                                            `Palisades`                                                                             318           457      452                                            `Emerald`                                                                               330           461      241                                            `Meyer`  333           411      466                                            `Crowne` 355           497      406                                            `El Toro`                                                                               356           473      391                                            MSD       79           161      267                                            ______________________________________                                          *MSD = minimum significant difference for comparison of means within           columns based on the WallerDuncan kratio test where k = 100.             

In Marcum, K.B., M.C. Engelke, S.J. Morton, and R.H. White. 1995. Rooting characteristics and associated drought resistance of zoysiagrasses. Agron.

J. 87:534-538.

                  TABLE 8                                                          ______________________________________                                         Mean Turfgrass quality ratings of vegetative zoysiagrass cultivars grown       in the National Turfgrass Evaluation Program at 23 locations in the US         for                                                                            1992, 1993, 1994, and 1995.                                                                                           Overall                                            1992     1993               4-Yr Avg.                               Variety    mm       mm      1994  1995 mm                                      ______________________________________                                         `Cavalier` 6.0      6.2     5.9   6.0  5.9                                     TC 2033    5.8      6.1     6.1   6.0  5.9                                     `Sunburst` 5.8      5.9     5.8   5.9  5.8                                     (unpatented)                                                                   TC 5018    5.8      5.8     5.9   5.7  5.8                                     `Emerald`  5.7      6.2     6.0   5.7  5.8                                     `Omni` (unpatented)                                                                       5.6      6.1     6.1   6.0  5.7                                     QT 2004    5.6      6.0     5.9   5.6  5.6                                     DALZ8508   5.6      6.1     5.7   5.6  5.6                                     `Palisades`                                                                               5.8      5.8     5.5   5.4  5.6                                     DALZ9006   5.6      6.0     5.6   5.5  5.6                                     `Crowne`   5.8      5.8     5.5   5.4  5.6                                     `El Toro`  5.8      5.6     5.3   5.4  5.5                                     CD 259-13  5.3      5.5     5.7   5.5  5.4                                     `Meyer`    5.3      5.7     5.8   5.5  5.4                                     QT 2047    5.4      5.4     5.3   5.2  5.3                                     `Belair`   5.0      5.6     5.6   5.0  5.2                                     DALZ8516   4.7      5.4     5.0   5.0  4.9                                     `Diamond`  4.4      5.0     4.6   4.4  4.4                                     DALZ8501   4.9      4.3     4.0   4.0  4.3                                     DALZ8701   4.2      4.1     3.7   3.6  3.8                                     LSD VALUE  0.2      0.2     0.2   0.2  0.2                                     ______________________________________                                          To determine statistical differences among entries, subtract one entry's       mean from another entry's mean. Statistical difference occurs when this        value is larger than the corresponding LSD value (LSD 0.05).             

In National Zoysiagrass Test--1991. Final Report 1992-95, NTEP No. 96-15; (Table 4); United States Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, Beltsville Agricultural Research Center, Beltsville, Md. 20705.

                  TABLE 9                                                          ______________________________________                                         Mean number of mite-damaged leaves per zoysiagrass plant (n = 18).                     Leaf Texture                 Combined                                  Cultivar                                                                               Class      3April92  24April92                                                                              Dates                                     ______________________________________                                         DALZ9006                                                                               31         0.2a*     0.2 a   0.2 a                                     DALZ8508                                                                               2          0.7 b     0.6 ab  0.6 b                                     DALZ8516                                                                               2          1.8 d     0.3 ab  1.0 b                                     `Emerald`                                                                              3          1.3 bc    0.9 b   1.1 b                                     DALZ8501                                                                               1          1.4 cd    2.6 c   2.0 c                                     `Crowne`                                                                               4          5.4 ef    2.3 c   3.9 d                                     `El Toro`                                                                              4          5.6 ef    2.8 c   4.2 d                                     TC2033  2          4.4 e     4.3 d   4.4 d                                     `Palisades`                                                                            4          7.5 fg    4.0 cd  5.8 e                                     CD2031  2          7.6 gh    7.9 e   7.8 f                                     `Diamond`                                                                              1          7.8 gh    9.4 ef  8.6 g                                     DALZ8701                                                                               1          9.3 h     9.4 ef  9.4 g                                     `Cavalier`                                                                             3          9.1 h     9.8 ef  9.5 g                                     `Meyer` 2          9.9 h     9.9 ef  9.9 g                                     `Belair`                                                                               2          10.0 h    9.9 f   9.9 g                                     JZ-1    4          10.0 h    9.9 f   10.0 g                                    ______________________________________                                          *Data transformed using log (X + 0.5) for analysis. Means in a column          followed by the same letter are not significantly different by                 WallerDuncan kratio test (k = 100) (P = 0.05).                                 1 Textural class of zoysiagrass where 1 = short, narrow leaves; 2 = short      wide leaves; 3 = long, narrow leave; and 4 = long, wide leaves.          

Reinert, J.A., M.C. Engelke, and S.J. Morton. 1993. Zoysiagrass resistance to the zoysiagrass mite, Eriphyes zoysiae (Acari: Eriophyidae). In R.N. Carrow, N.E. Christians, and R.C. Sherman (Eds.). International Turfgrass Society Research Journal 7. Intertec Publishing Corp., Overland Park, Kans. pp. 349-352.

DETAILED SUMMARY OF DNA FINGERPRINT ANALYSIS

Drs. Bassam and Caetano-Anolles of the University of Tennessee performed the DNA analysis. The zoysiagrass amplification profiles were obtained using primer of sequence 5'-GCCCGCCC-3', and are compared to the standard `Meyer`. Complex banding patterns and amplification fragment length polymorphism's were obtained in all cases. Results indicate bands fall into two categories, those that are common to the species, and those that in combination are characteristic of the cultivar (some identified by dots). 

I claim:
 1. A new and distinct cultivar of Zoysia japonica plant as herein shown and described. 